Permutation-padlock



(No Model.)

B. s. HODGSON, Jr. PERMUTATION PADLOCK.

Patented Aug. 10,1897

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EDIVARD S. IIODGSON, JR, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

PERMUTATION-PADLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,821, dated August 10, 1897. Application filed June 2,1896. Serial No. 594,039. momma.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. I-IODGSON, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Permutation- Locks, of which the following is such a full clear, and exact description as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use my said invention.

My invention relates particularly to padlocks of that class which are used with bicycles or boats or are applied to other uses where portability, compactness, and neatness of form are desirable; and the purposes of my invention are to provide a lock which shall be strong, compact, and neat in appearance and so constructed and arranged that all the operating parts shall be securely inclosed, so that only those persons to whom the combination is known may unlock the lock.

IVith these ends in View my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts shown in the annexed drawings and hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete lock. Fig. 2 is avertical section through the lock on the line 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of one of the tumblers.

Similar letters of reference designate like parts in all of the views.

The shell A is cylindrical in form and is closed at its upper end andopen at its lower end. In the top of. the shell are holes a, a, a and a in which the body of the shackle B, the central rivet D, the screw K, and the free end B of the shackle B respectively fit.

The upper end of the shackle B is reduced and bent in U shape, as shown, and the free end of the shackle fits in the hole a On the shackle B are peripheral grooves 17, which register with the tumblers when the shackle is in position in the lock. Near the lower end of the shackle is a transverse pin 6, which limits the outward movement of the shackle I3. The dial-plate F is circular in form and has an annular ledge f, on which the lower end of the shell fits, and the plate turns freely within the shell. On the upper side of the plate F is an integral hub f to which the lower tumbler is secured in any suitable manner, so that the tumbler will revolve with the plate. The plate F is pierced by a central hole f in which the rivet D fits loosely, and the plate turns on the rivet. The rivet D has a shoulder d, which serves to prevent the riveting of the parts together so closely as to prevent the free rotation of the dial-plate. The edge f of the dial-plate is beveled and has numerals 1, 2, 3, &c., on thebeveledpart, as shown. When the dial-plate is turned so as to bring the notches in the tumblers into registry with the notches in the shackle B, the numbers on the dial will correspondingly register with, the index-arrow a on the shell A, as hereinafter more fully explained.

In its preferable form the lock has two tumblers, one above the other, as shown in Fig. 2, but three or more tumblers may be used without departing from my invention. Each of the tumblers is a metal disk having a central hole g, in which the rivet D fits, so that the tumblers turn freely on the rivet, and having in its periphery a notch 1 of such shape and depth that when the notches are in registry with the shackle it may be readily withdrawn.

. When the notches in the tumblers are not in registry with the shackle, the peripheral edges of the tumblers lie in the grooves of the shackle, 'so that the tumblers serve to prevent the withdrawal of the shackle. The upper tumbler has an annular series of holes g adapted to receive a screw-pin g and this screw-pin may be'shifted from one hole to another in order to'change the combination in a well-known manner. The lower tumbler has a fixed pin g. The pins g and g engage with each other, so as to cause the tumblers to turn when the dial is turned, as hereinafter set forth. IVhen more than two tumblers are used, the additional tumblers are exactly like the lower tumbler shown in the drawings.

WVhen the upper tumbler is in position in the lock and is turnedon the rivet D,"the holes 9 successively register with the hole a in the top of the shell, so that a screw-driver may be inserted through the hole a so as to change the screw-pin g from one to another of the holes g The screw K fits in the hole a and has in the periphery of its head a notch 7t, conforming to the hole a in the top under surface of the top of the shell with sufficient force to normally hold the upper tumbler at rest in the shell, but not with sufficient force to prevent the rotation of the upper tumbler when the dial-plate is turned so as to bring the pin on the lower tumbler into engagement with the pin on the upper tum bler.

I do not restrict myself to the use of the precise form of spring shown, as a spring of any other suitable form may be used.

in the lower end of the case, and the tumblers,

the spring, and the rivet are inserted, as shown and described, and the rivet is then riveted to securely connect the parts.

In order to determine the numbers forming the combination on which the lock operates,

the dial-plate is turned to the right once or more around, so as to bring the fixed pin on the lower tumbler into engagement with the screw pin on the upper tumbler and is stopped with the notch in the lower tumbler in registry with the corresponding groove around the shackle. A note is then made of the number on the dial-plate which registers with the index a on the case, and that is the first number of the combination. The dial-plate is then turned to the left sufliciently to again bring the pin on the lower tumbler into engagement with the screw-pin on the upper tumbler and cause the upper tumbler to turn to the left and stop with the notch in that tumbler in registry with the corresponding groove around the shackle. The number on the dial-plate which is then in registry with the index on the shell is noted, and that is the second number of the combination. to the right, thereby turning the lower tumbler, so as to disengage the pin on the lower tumbler from the screw-pin on the upper tumbler and leave the upper tumbler at rest with its notch in registry with the corresponding groove in the shackle, and the turning of the lower tumbler is continued until the notch in the lower tumbler is again in registry with the corresponding groove around the shackle. A note is then made of the number on the dial-plate registering with the index on the shell, and that is the third number of the In 1 assembling the parts the dial-plate is placed The dial-plate is then again turned combination. The notches in both tumblers are then in registry with the corresponding grooves around the shackle, and the shackle may be withdrawn.

It is obvious that the relative positions of the notches g and the pins g and g on the several tumblers may be varied so as to admit of a great number of different combinations.

I am aware that a notched shackle and a. notched tumbler having a removable pin have heretofore been used. I therefore do not broadly claim those features.

I-Iavin g fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a permutation lock the means for changing the combination, consisting of a notched screw fitting in a hole in the shell .of the look, a rotatable tumbler having an annular series of holes and a screw-pin fitting in the holes in said tumbler; in combination with a shell within which said tumbler turns and a shackle entering said shell and fitting in the notch in said screw, the annular series of the holes in. said tumbler registering with the holes in said shell in which said screw fits,

as set forth.

2. In a permutation-lock, the combination of a cylindrical shell having in its top holes, a, a, a and a adapted to receive the body of a shackle B, a central rivet D, a screw K and the free end B of the shackle B respectively, a circular dial-plate having an annular ledge on which said shell fits, a central shouldered rivet connecting said dial-plate rotatably with said shell, a notched lower tumbler provided with an upwardly-projecting pin and secured to, and turning with said dial-plate, a notched upper tumbler rotatable on said central rivet, and having a circular series of holes registering with the hole a in the top of the shell, a screw-pin fitting in any hole of the said aircular series of holes in the top tumbler and adapted to engage with the .pin on the lower tumbler, a spring between said'tumblers, a shackle B fitting in the hole a in the top of the shell, and having circumferential channels in which the perimeters of the notched tumblers move, the free end B of said shackle fitting in the hole a in the top of the shell, and a screw K fitting in the hole a in the top of the shell, and having a notch conforming to the perimeter of said shackle, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name, at Springfield, Illinois, this 9th day of May, 1896.

EDWARD S. HODGSON, JR.

Witnesses:

W. A. SoUTHwIoK, E. S. HODGSON, Sr. 

